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About

Abandoned & industrial photography.

Photo by Maria Wallin. Tack :)

Välkommen!

ASKA is the slowly growing collection of photographs from abandoned, quaint or interesting locations by me, Björn Sahlberg. The home base is Stockholm, Sweden.

So, why seek these places and spend days photographing them? A very early inspiration was the book Journal of a Ghost Hunter by Simon Marsden (RIP) that I received for Christmas in 1994. Up until then my view on photography in general was something of a substitute for artforms like painting or sculpting but that book had me thinking differently. Then there was also the environments of fantasy literature, comic books, Warhammer games and movies like Bladerunner which all had a strong appeal to me. Still it took a few years before I picked up my dad's old Minolta to use it on my very first explore on, The Mighty Abandoned Cottage of Stäksön in Kallhäll outside of Stockholm. The rest is history.

Get in Touch

The Crew

You thunk ASKA was a one-bear operation? Think again.

Trading Prints?

Are you a fellow photographer of the abandoned, intrigued by interesting infrastructure or collecting quirky surroundings with a camera at hand? Then how about trading prints? I have traded with friends a few times and it's fun! Also more tasteful to keep others' prints on the wall rather than your own, right. Ok then, just get in touch.

Technicalities

What's rumbling under ASKA's rusty hood.

Hasselblad 500c/m

Main companion these days. Usually fitted with a 50 or 80 mm lens.

Meopta Flexaret V

A late 50s beater twin lens reflex from the Czech Republic. Works perfectly, almost always. A growing love that I've been using more and more over the last years.

Topcon Horseman 980

I came across this nice Horseman kit at the Kamerloppis (camera flea market) in spring 2016. The combination of tilt-shift, medium format and a cool retro tech look made it an easy choice. Yes, it's tricky to use. Yes, it's slow to use. And yes, it's great fun to use!

Nikon D300 & D70s

Old workhorses before the days of analog. Now I mostly use the D300 for light-metering under tricky conditions.

HomeSite+ & Notepad++

Contemporary input: eventually I had to succumb to HomeSite's age and shifted to Notepad++. It's an excellent editor but I still miss some very useful features from HomeSite.

Old input: [HomeSite] is quite possibly the best barebone HTML editor, ever. Despite not being upgraded since 2003 it still rocks in so many ways. You're more than free to convince me of a newer one (I've tried many) as I realise that its days are counted.

Compliances

ASKA.nu adheres to the following compliances:

No coookies!?!

No cookies.
No trackers.
No funny pixel.
No “AI.

I is not impressed.

Coding with Cat compatible (depending on who you ask).

спорта!

Supports Active LifeStyle®

Säker 2000

Y2K safe, of course.

Barehands HTML certified

Barehands HTML certified.

The ASKA Archive

Through the years this site has been quite a shape shifter. Sometimes because fun, sometimes because necessary.

Smältverket Pumpen all responsive in February 2015.

February 2015

Smältverket Pumpen was the first album to be all mobile friendly and responsive.

Antother makevoer in December 2013.

December 2013

Another makeover. Quite liked this layout with the most recent updated album enlarged.

The Big Comeback of September 2008.

September 2008

The Big Comeback of 2008 with a new logo and a new grungy look.

The reappearance in September 2004.

September 2004

After some downtime because circumstances ASKA reappeared on a new server with an even more austere look (and just one album).

July 2004.

July 2004

Black background so 2002. Went for a cleaner look. Again. I'm yet to process the panoramic photos I took with the hacked Zeiss Nettar that you can see an example of here.

The Dynamite Factory WiP as of May 2002.

May 2002

The Dynamite Factory WiP. A large album for a small location that is yet to be finished ... May 2002.

An ambitious overview of the The Dynamite Factory in May 2002.

May 2002

The Dynamite Factory WiP. A very ambitious overview! May 2002.

ASKA User Interface as of February 2001.

February 2001

UI à la ASKA anno 2001. Besides my personal portfolio all content is still up, including this hidden gem ... varsågod, Internet!

Dark mode activated in September 2000.

September 2000

Dark mode activated! I loved playing with pixel grunge back then. Still do, in fact.

Latest Soundz in August 2000.

August 2000

Latest Soundz is where I posted new additions to the record collection.

Sketch for a new logo and look in July 2000.

July 2000

Sketch for a new logo and look that never made it to the finals. I guess the 90s hadn't deaded just yet.

August 2000.

August 2000

Still quite pleased with that drawing.

It was all about homemade pixe fonts and rock in July 2000.

July 2000

It was the summer of 2000 and it was all about homemade pixel fonts and rock it seems.

The Volvo Amazon. July 2000.

July 2000

The 'splorermobile anno 2000 was my grandfather's Volvo Amazon from the late 60s. Of course it was represented on ASKA.

May 2000.

May 2000

Some kind of blog thing going on here? The logo was made by moving a print along the glass platen of a copy machine while making a copy. May 2000.

March 2000.

March 2000

The navigation page back when the Abandoned Cottage was the headline. March 2000.

Höst '99.

December 1999

Höst '99. Photos from autumn excursions around Stockholm. Exciting times.

Nifty banner in March 2000.

March 2000

Nifty banner! Feel free to post and spread the word.

Things ASKA But Not Quite

What would the world be without this Great Additon to Humankind's Collected Knowledge!

ASKA.nu © 1999-2025 Björn Sahlberg